New-York tribune., 1887-12-20
FREE Trade DOGNfTISM.

The uuotations Of which we are making a
free use in other columns Of this issue are ser
vccablc as indicating the precise Natc Of Eng
lsh opinion respecting the President Message.
There are many Americans who are confused
by the camor Of free trade sciolists. They arc
in state of uncertainty respecting the relative
cxpediency Of free trade and protection in this
country. They cannot fail to be Impressed
with the fact that whatever differences Of
opinion may exist here, there is JOY in England
over the prospect Of raiding" the American
market. The practical Briton knows where
his business interests lie and halls President
Cleveland as the silent partner Of every English
manufacturer. What is best for him and his
country he concludes must be best also for
America and every other nation under the sun.
This is one Of the charlctcr>tc qualities Of
English dogmatism. 1t begins with looking
out for number one with great diligence and
ends with convincing itself that every other
country will attain To the highest material
prosperity only rs it adapts itself rigidly To- the
commercial needs Of England and blindly fol-
lows the frcc-tradc doctrnarcs
American Free Traders come naturally by
their dogmaliSm They have sat at the feet IF
their Golden Club Gamalicls and are more
Jealous and intolcrnt than their masters. The
actual results II half century Of free trade in
England and Of twenty-five years Of American
protection have not disturbed the balance Of
their judgment on economic questions. They
repeat the old formulas with sharper acccntua-
ton than ever before They are mfahi ly
right and those who differ from them are IN
cNcu>ably ignorant and wiiully blind. This
is their own arrogant assumption - they rc-
affirm with emphasis cX cathcdra the we'll
worn frcc-tradc Arguments which have been
heard in American college class-rooms for a
generation The intolerance Of these zcalots
in this tolerant and catholic age would be- in
cXplicablc if occasional gimpScs Of the state Of
English opinion were not had. The bleotry
here, which pronouaces political economy an
exact science with immulablc laws applicable
10 all nations under the most diverse condl-
tions. i, only to be explained in connection
with the dogmati,m there.
For example. one of the london journals in
discussing the Presidents Mess go romaii,
"To say that the relative cNpcdichcy of pro-
lection and free trade depends upon the cir
cum,tancc, Of the count! in which the issue
Is raised shows profound ignorance of thr
Whole subject. There is not. there never was
and in the nature II things there never could
be a community which would not suffer by
being dcbarrcd from perfectly frcc intercourse
with the markets Of the world" when the
English doctors Of the law of economic science
dogmatilc in this strain 1t is not to be- wondered
at that their American disciples rush into Woi>c
cAccsscs and vagarics Of defamation. The
prosperity of the United States under the pro-
tcctlyc system Is one Of the great facts Of
modern civ liilation. 1t has proved the cX-
pcdicncy Of that system for the country under
the circumstances existing since 1851. Il has
shown that nation situated aS the United
States Government has been will not suffer by
being dcbarcd from perfectly free intercourse
with the markets Of the world, but will thrive
accumulate vast Industrial resources and aston
ish the world with its dcbt-paying achieve
mcntS. When any writer on economic qucs-
tOnS, whether in America or England. persists
in declaring that the theories Of Richard Cob
den have not been vastly modified by the
actual experience Of nations under high tariffs
he shows profound ignorance Of the whole